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A Bold Brow Takes Shape in Lawrence

4.06.2014

“Hayley, you would be so beautiful if you would just let me tweeze your eyebrows.”

It’s not exactly what a girl in high school wants to hear from her peers. I was mortified every time someone suggested that I tame my eyebrows in order to be “beautiful.”

My bold eyebrows, dark brown with a defined arch contrasting with my pale skin, made me stand out. I felt self-conscious and embarrassed, especially when people drew attention to them and even offered to thin the bushy masses.

Just a few years later and I no longer receive backhanded compliments about my eyebrows: The power brow is back in style.

You can find it on young Hollywood stars today like Emma Watson and Lily Collins. They each have brows that naturally frame their face and bring attention to their eyes because of their heaviness. Collins’ eyebrows are so prominent they have their own Twitter account, @iamthebrows.

The power brow trend brings out a person’s natural beauty, said Jenn Streeter, a graduate student at the University of Kansas. “The bold brow look, to me, is very old Hollywood. I think it’s more natural than the drawn-on, pencil look that has been popular for a while,” Streeter said. “Seeing some brow on a celebrity shows me they’re real.”

Brea Cudney, a junior at KU, appreciates the trend because she has bold brows. She’s taken notice of stars like Lucy Hale and Lauren Conrad. “I’ve followed the transformation of Lauren Conrad since her days on ‘Laguna Beach,’ and I’ve noticed how she’s let her eyebrows become more full and natural,” Cudney said.

Cudney is often ask how she “styles” her eyebrows, which she takes as a compliment. “Eyebrows are funny, but I definitely notice them on other people and appreciate when someone admires mine as well.”

Cudney is just one example of how the power brow trend is taking shape in Lawrence. Elena Diaz, a hair stylist at Lou & Co Hair Studio, said it’s socially acceptable to have big eyebrows now.

“I appreciate a fuller brow because it means that you’re not afraid to think outside the box,” Diaz said. “You have your own idea of beauty and you’re comfortable with what you’ve been given.”

Eyebrows are important because they frame your face, said Nasrin at Brow Expressions. “The first thing that you notice about someone is their eyes, and eyebrows go with that.”

Nasrin said that her clients often ask for a thicker shaped brow. “People think it’s old-fashioned, but it’s very popular among my clients.”

Whatever kind of eyebrows you have, one thing is clear: The natural look is best. Don’t let know-it-all high school girls make you feel ashamed of your natural beauty.

Get some professional help shaping up those bold babies right here in Lawrence.